Day By Day
by HisAsgardianAngel
Summary: Have you ever wondered what might happen if Captain America never existed? What would the future have been like if Steve had never gotten his wish, had never entered the war? Who is alive...dead...different? But most importantly of all why is it that only Director Fury of SHIELD has a clue in the world that everything has gone wrong? MPREG
1. Chapter 1

It was a cool and overcast afternoon in 1945. It had been a very rainy start to the month of May, but that did nothing to dampen Steve Rogers's spirits. The war in Europe had ended on the eighth following the suicide of Adolf Hitler, and to Steve that could only mean one thing―his soldier was coming home. He took a deep breath of his inhaler and a few pills for his heart problems and proceeded to stare out of his kitchen window. He had been eagerly waiting for James's return all day, and he checked the front door about as often as twenty minute intervals. He hadn't seen him in so long and despite his best efforts, which included lying on all of his Particulars, his health concerns had kept him as far as from the war effort as physically possible. He had worked his ass off though in his friend's three year absence to make up for both halves of their rent and still managed to somehow keep it spotless so James would have something nice to come home to. He even had a pot of macaroni and cheese cooking on the stove, which had always been Buck's favorite of all Steve's home cooked meals.

The clock stuck five and the food was ready, and Steve was more than a little disheartened that he was still alone at this hour. Not wanting the dish to burn, he walked from where he was making tea to turn the stove off. He lifted the lid off of the pot and a rush of steam filled his fragile lungs, causing yet another coughing episode in spite of his recent use of his inhaler. _Breathe, Steve, this is ridiculous._ He said to himself, gripping the edge of the counter in an attempt at forcing some fresh air into his body. Just when he seemed to be getting a hold of himself he gasped harshly at the surprise of thick, muscular arms wrapping around his waist, throwing him right back into his fit. Steve felt the body behind him chuckle.

"I'm sorry, Stevie. I didn't mean to startle you." Steve recognized that voice anywhere and turned around quickly to face him.

"Bucky!" Tears filled Steve's eyes and gently trickled down his cheeks as he crushed his lips against the soldier's, running his hands down the chiseled chest that he had missed so much. Their tongues collided slowly, intimately dancing with one another as they became reacquainted. Bucky wove his fingers into Steve's hair and shushed him tenderly as they pulled away.

"Now don't you go crying on me, it's only gonna make that cough worse." Bucky cupped Steve's face and held it firmly, gazing into those liquid pools that he had dreamed about every night since the day he was deployed. Steve composed himself and gestured awkwardly to the pot.

"I made your favorite." Bucky pecked him on the lips once more and got some bowls down from the cabinets.

"I know you did." Steve hovered, of course, fretting around Bucky as he scooped the mac and cheese into the bowls.

"Hey, I was supposed to be making that for you not the other way around." Bucky laughed and sat the food on their dining room table, pulling a chair out for Steve.

"You did make it for me, I just served it. Looks delicious by the way." They sat to eat and Steve looked down at his small hands, so curious about how his loves life had been since they'd last spoken, though he didn't really want to come out and ask 'how was the horrible blood bath you've been away at for three years?'

"I've missed you so much. Are you alright?" He asked instead, taking a big bite of cheesy goodness. Bucky shrugged, a sassy smirk on his lips as he watched his counterpart.

"I know that's your sneaky little way of asking me how the war was, Steve, I'm not stupid. I am fine, though I was nearly killed during the summer of '43 after being held captive for a little while, goddamn army left us there to rot for I don't know how long before we were ever rescued." That hadn't been what Steve had wanted to hear, though he didn't know what he had expected. The smaller man grew quiet and James reached over to take and hold his hand.

"Hey, look at me. I'm fine, I'm here alive and breathing aren't I? Someone had to come back here and make sure the hot mess I call a boyfriend hadn't gotten into trouble, now didn't they?" Steve laughed and squeezed his hand, a Cheshire cat grin consuming his features.

"I'm always in trouble." Bucky snorted.

"Isn't that the truth."

*2012*

Colonel Nick Fury was rummaging through SHIELD archives bright and early that Tuesday morning. He was looking for a file in the S's, and strangely enough it was nearly empty. The file he was looking for was there, but never mind that. Where was the largest file that belonged to that category? He searched in the M and H categories before cursing under his breath. Howard and Maria Stark's file was missing. Nick didn't know what was going on, but he knew if a certain Tony caught wind that his parents paperwork was missing the entire agency would be in a shitload of trouble. Director Fury walked swiftly down a long corridor to Agent Coulson's working area and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Came a voice from within the room. Nick entered and sat down quickly, making sure he shut the door back securely behind him.

"We have a problem, Phil. Howard and Maria Stark's SHIELD file is completely gone, all of it. From the Winter Solider causing their car crash all the way to Tony Stark's adoption, it's all gone. Tony is going to flip if we don't figure out who took it and why." Phil stared blankly at his friend.

"What on earth are you talking about? Howard and Maria didn't die in a car crash." Fury looked at Coulson like he had his other eye somewhere on his face.

"Are you mother fucking serious? Maria and Howard's death was the biggest, most devastating news of this decade and you're going to sit here and tell me you don't know how they died?" Coulson slowly picked up his walkie without breaking eye contact with Fury, radioing in for the on staff medical assistant.

"Nick, I hate to send you off to see the nurse, but you aren't acting like yourself. Obadiah Stane murdered the Starks in 1991, why would we have that on file? It had nothing to do with our line of work." Fury shook his head in disbelief.

"And I suppose you'll tell me you don't know about the Winter Solider either? You're the Captain's biggest fanboy, Phil, I know you do." No signs of recognition crossed the Agents face.

"Captain who?"

"Unbelievable!" The Director got up and stormed out furiously, marching right back down to their filing system and digging for both Bucky and Steve's files. Nada. Something was not right, he felt like he was losing his mind. He flipped open his phone to scroll through his contacts and sure enough, Steve's number had been erased. Something fishy was going on, and he was going to have to get to the bottom of it fast.

*1945*

It wasn't until after dinner that things started to feel like home again. Bucky took off his uniform for the very last time and had slipped into something more comfortable. Steve turned on the radio to Bucky's favorite station and the couple curled up on their beat up old couch. It felt so nice to be enveloped in Bucky's arms again. For a good while Steve had feared life would never be like this again, and the little things like this had become almost sacred. He looked up from where his head had been resting on Bucky's chest, lifting his fingers to playfully finger James's stubble.

"I love you." A small, loving smile crossed Buck's lips and he bent down to kiss Steve's head, his arms wrapping around him tighter as he breathed in his partners natural scent of lavender and vanilla. Steve's tiny body fit in his lap so easily, it felt wonderful to have this sort of contact again. James had felt so down and so lonely during the war…there was nothing like this…like his home, his Stevie. They stayed like that for several moments, unmoving, content. They could have gone uninterrupted like that for hours probably, had Steve not accidentally moved his elbow a certain way against Bucky's chest. The solider winced, letting out a small groan of pain that he hoped Steve wouldn't notice. Of course, he did.

"What's wrong?" James shrugged it off and told him it was nothing, but he knew that face…Steve wasn't letting go of it until he told him what was hurting him.

"James Buchanan Barnes." Bucky chuckled and rolled his ocean colored eyes.

"Okay, fine. Get up and I'll show you." Steve pouted slightly at having to vacate Bucky's lap, but he was eager to find the source of his boyfriend's pain and hopefully mend it. Steve's mother had been a nurse, he knew a little more than basic first aid. Bucky lifted his shirt up to reveal what could only be described as a bullet wound in his side and Steve's eyes widened in horror.

"Don't look at me like that, Steven. It's mostly healed, they wouldn't have let me come home like this if I was in any danger of dying or something. It's just a little sore." Steve didn't look so sure so Bucky sighed and gently peeled the bandage off.

"See?" The wound itself was closed and new skin had healed up around it, but it was bruised horribly and crusted with dried blood. Steve leaned in and carefully, without applying a single ounce of pressure, kissed the wound. When he stood again he pulled Bucky's shirt off over his head and pointed toward their bathroom.

"Walk. Now." Bucky laughed and put his hand up next to his head in a salute.

"Aye, aye, captain." He walked with Steve to their tiny bathroom and allowed the other man to lock the door behind them, reaching down to fill the tub up and rummaging around for a washcloth.

"Is this necessary?" Steve didn't reply, pointing toward the bath and looking expectantly at Bucky's pants with a small grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Can't bathe in those now can you?" Bucky obediently removed his pants and underwear, stepping forward to happily tear Steve's own baggy shirt off. He kissed Steve's chest softly before removing the rest of his friend's clothes. The water was hot and bubbly and it felt wonderful against Bucky's incredibly tired skin as he stepped in to it. He extended his hand for Steve to take and soon they were both facing each other, legs locked around one another's waists tightly as they started to relax. Steve rubbed some honey autumn apple scented soap onto the washcloth and delicately pressed it against Bucky's wound.

"Please tell me if I hurt you." Bucky stared intimately into Steve's eyes, reaching out to caress the side of his face.

"You could never hurt me." Steve smiled, gently washing away the blood that had likely been stuck to Bucky's skin since the last time the wound was packed. It hurt a little bit, but Bucky would never say so, he enjoyed the closeness too much and the doting that Steve always bestowed upon him when he was even slightly hurt.

"There, all clean." Steve was obviously very pleased with himself, and Bucky had to admit, the shot did look a lot better now. He pulled Steve forward and crushed their lips together, moaning into his mouth and pulling away to kiss his jawline and neck. Steve laughed and nuzzled into James's neck, blushing at the gesture and wrapping his arms around Buck's neck. He held them there, not wanting to ever let him ago ever ever again. Bucky pulled away only slightly, cradling Steve's face with his hands and gazing at him with all the love in the world. He had only one promise to give him, and it was one he meant with all his heart, intending to uphold it until the day he died.

"I will _never_ leave you again."


	2. Chapter 2

Flashes of being strapped to a chair danced behind Bucky's eyelids. The torture…the insanity…the pain. HYDRA operatives had held Barnes and a good deal of the 107th hostage for a decent portion of the war, it was very lucky that they made it out alive. At least he guessed he was lucky. He was breathing and there was a beautiful blonde angel laying by his side; a blonde angel who would have wept for him had he not come home in one piece. Yet, there was a part of the sergeant that would have preferred returning to his lover in a wooden box; peaceful, happy…the Bucky Steve had fallen in love with. Now he was a damaged good. He was riddled with fear and night terrors that could wake the devil. He hated that he woke Rogers in the middle of the night with his screaming, it wasn't a bit fair for the man who'd waited four whole years for his return. This wasn't what he'd imagined life being like for the two of them, Steven deserved better. That being said he couldn't help being grateful, especially as he felt those tiny little arms lovingly envelope him in the middle of the night.

"Buck, wake up. You're only dreaming…you're safe, you're home. You came back to me, Bucky, open your eyes." His voice was soothing, soft as silk and full of more concern than the soldier thought he was worthy of. His body jerked, eyes popping open as the tremors began to calm and petite hands used the bed sheets to dab way his perspire. Bucky sat up and Steve reached over to the nightstand to turn on their lamp. Buck was pale, sweaty…frightened. Nothing broke Steve's heart more than the pain he saw etched into those beautiful blue eyes.

"Sorry…I didn't mean to do that again." Steve sighed.

"How many times have I told you, you don't have to apologize." Bucky sighed heavily and reached out to tenderly caress the side of Steve's face with his thumb.

"Oh but I do. This isn't right, you shouldn't have to put up with me, it's not your problem. We have enough to worry about with your…" Bucky trailed off, not wanting to rehash the fight the two of them had been having off and on that week. Steve immediately felt guilty, Bucky had been having those terrors more frequently ever since he'd found out about PRENCYGAN. PRENCYGAN was a new experimental drug that had just opened up for human trials in an attempt at curing anemia, and though Bucky was very adamant that Steve had been coping just fine with his anemic issues, Rogers wanted to have one less health concern to worry about. It was a wonder he'd survived to adulthood with all that ailed him, he wanted to keep things heading in that direction.

"Bucky, really, I'm okay. I've been taking it for a few weeks and so far I feel great…no gills, no horrible side effects. You don't have to worry so much." James ran a hand through his messy brunette locks and seemed to mull it over for a few moments. How could he stop worrying? Steve was all he had. He decided to prevent an argument with his beloved and moved in for a kiss instead. This was the one thing he valued most about having survived the war…the taste of these sweet, pouty lips. Steve tasted like caramel apples, it was intoxicating. Their lips collided sweetly, chastely, their tongues massaging each other and exploring the familiar territory. Steve tried to rough house a little, though Bucky was much stronger and made it his priority to slow him down.

"Easy, tiger." Bucky uttered breathlessly as they pulled away. Steve whimpered, his lips kiss-bruised and begging for more. Steve's baby blue eyes were lust blown…it had been so very long since either of them had been with one another in any way, much less sexually. Bucky knew that look well, it was the very look Steve had given him when he'd taken his virginity before the war. Buck had been with a few girls before, but Steve had been pure when he allowed the slightly older male to take him. Bucky knew his own strength, knew he had to be careful. Stevie was so fragile.

"Make love to me." Now how could he resist that? Steve blushed up his cheeks as he said it, goose-bumps littering his body as Bucky leaned in to pepper his neck with kisses and bites. Bucky's firm, strong arms held Steve in place as his lips raked up and down the smaller man's torso after having ripped his button down pajama shirt open with one harsh tug. He took a small, perfect nipple into his mouth and earned a gorgeous moan from his Steve. Those bright blue eyes rolled to the back of his artist's head and Bucky smirked as he ran his hands down the remainder of Rogers's body. He was gentle with Steve, though his touch was urgent as it massaged the hardening boner beneath Steve's trousers. Rogers grabbed fistfuls of Bucky's shaggy hair, pulling their lips back together as hungrily as his strength would allow. Buck could feel his own dick becoming erect as the feeling of Steve's tongue against his sent electricity through his body. He allowed his counterpart to push him back into the pillows of the bed, Steve straddling his waist as if he were the dominant partner, though this was only because Bucky was afraid he'd hurt him the other way around. Steve's smile was so bright as his eyes met Bucky's own, and it warmed the soldier's icy heart more than the other would ever likely know. He couldn't help kissing that adorable expression right off of his face.

"I love you." Bucky whispered softly against his lips, only causing that beautiful grin to widen.

"I love you more." Buck smirked, copping another feel and threading his fingers into the band of Steven's pants.

"Care to test that theory?" Steve had missed this so much…not the sex, per se, but the carefree and loving demeanor written all over James's features. That was the Bucky Barnes that was here with him tonight, not the Bucky who was suffering and in pain. There was no one else he loved more in the entire world…he didn't have anyone else. Steve slowly unbuttoned Bucky's shirt and gazed at what lay beneath; thick sinewy muscles tight from war, rippling and glistening across his torso in all their glory. Steve kissed his chest gently as Bucky finally pulled his fingers downward and slid Steve's pants and boxers right off of him. Steve shivered at the cold air hitting his bare skin and eagerly followed suit, taking Buck's garments off and bending down to get a mouthful of that throbbing cock.

"Uh-uh, Stevie. You don't need to do that, we still have Vaseline left over from last time. Let me treat you." Bucky rummaged around in their bedside table for a moment, pulling out a small tub of Vaseline and beginning to rub it onto his dick with one hand while sitting up and holding Steve still with the other while he dove between his lovers legs. Steve immediately gasped, the feeling of Buck's mouth around his cock sending chills down his spine. Bucky hummed in satisfaction; Steve might have been skinny but his dick was the one thing about him that was _not_ tiny. It filled Bucky's mouth to the tip of his throat and the soldier would have it no other way as he began to suck the appendage vigorously. The sound of Steve's whimpers mixed with the feeling of his own hand massaging the lube onto his dick was becoming too much, his already straining and purple bulge beginning to leak pre-cum. He groaned loudly put a halt to his masturbation, using his jelly covered hand to stick a finger into Steve's ass, who he was still giving head.

"S-Sweet lord…J-James!" Steve's body tensed at the intrusion, his practically virginal ass puckering with a slight sensation of pain. Steve and Bucky had had sex one time right before Buck had been deployed…so this was all still very new to Rogers. Bucky kissed him very softly, romantically; taking the tension and edge off as he eased another finger into his boyfriend. James couldn't tell if Steve was experiencing pain or pleasure, running his fingers through those tidy blonde locks in comfort just in case.

"All most there, Steven. I'll be inside you real soon, I promise."

*2012*

Back in the present, Fury was pacing around Tony Stark's lab anxiously. After weeks of convincing and pleading he had finally managed to get Stark and Bruce Banner on board with helping him right the past. Neither were certain exactly how they were going to do that, but considering that Steve's never becoming Captain America had meant that the Red Skull had gone undefeated and the world was on the brink of a HYDRA-lead World War 3, they had to at least try.

More was different about the present than Nick had originally anticipated. Tony and Bruce were the same, mostly, but Romanoff had become the most horrific dictator Russia had ever seen and was currently allies with the HYDRA infested Germany. Agent Barton had been sent to assassinate her and came back to SHIELD mutilated in a cardboard box…there was no such thing as the Avengers. Barton was dead, Natasha was horrendously evil, there was no word on Thor…and all Fury had was a metal man that didn't play well with others and a giant green rage monster. The one thing Fury felt good about was that out of all the Avengers, at least he was left with the two genius's.

"Any word on how the PRENCYGAN is affecting Cap?" Fury asked, looking over Dr. Banner's shoulder as he was running some form of diagnostics. PRENCYGAN was a drug he had developed himself, and unlike how it was being marketed in the 40's, it did not treat anemia. PRENCYGAN was an acronym that Tony and Banner had come up with themselves after Nick had finally convinced them that there was a better future out there that had somehow gotten fucked up.

Prevention and

Recovery

Enforcement

Narcotic to

Create

Year-long symptoms

Given previously by the serum

And recreate the soldier who's

Nowhere to be found.

Because the super-soldier serum had been destroyed by HYDRA before it could be administered and the scientist had been murdered there was really no way of recreating the exact formula, however Stark and Banner had been able to concoct what they thought might have similar effects into a pill form.

Now, there was one thing and one thing only that was helpful about the HYDRA fiasco going on during this alternate present. HYDRA had hired a man by the name of Von Strucker to experiment with their own attempts at recreating the lost serum…and they'd had some very interesting side effects. There had been a young woman living in Illinois who had been kidnapped along with others in her family by HYDRA due to their Jewish faith. Most of her family was currently being held as prisoners of war in Germany and their capture was largely a political statement and promise of the beginnings of a new war. However, this girl in particular, Kitty Pryde, was separated from her family and sent to Von Strucker to serve as a new test subject. SHIELD was more than aware that Kitty Pryde and several other subjects' genes had been mutated by the serum, which was not working the way HYDRA intended, and luckily for Fury in particular Kitty had recently escaped.

Pryde had absconded Germany easily, as her mutant powers granted her the ability to walk through walls. She had turned herself in to SHIELD recently, hoping to be of use in the up and coming war and defense against what could only be described as the new Axis: Germany, Russia, and Sokovia. Kitty had one more gift besides walking through objects, and that was the ability to project a person's consciousness into the past. Because of Fury's concerns regarding Captain America, she had been sent right to him.

Projecting Bruce into the past every now and again in disguise as Steve's new medical doctor wasn't so hard for her and for the time being it was working. Their only issue right now was that she didn't have the strength to send anyone back further than 1945, which was after World War 2 had already ended. Despite being unable to redirect Steve's past enough to get him back into the war, the four of them were making their best efforts to create a situation where Rogers would become that hero anyway.

"How long is that test you're running going to take? We have to prefect this drug, Dr. Banner. So far there hasn't been any change in Steve at all." Fury barked, Bruce removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes wearily.

"Patience, Director. I'm trying to eliminate as many side-effects as possible. You should give him a physical yourself and then you'll see…it would be very easy to accidently kill someone with as many issues as this kid." This didn't make Fury's tension ease any and he sighed heavily.

"Well hurry. We are running out of time."

*1945*

Bucky had Steve on top of him, dick buried deep in his ass as he thrust in harder and deeper. His large arms were supporting Steve's tiny body and his tongue was lovingly exploring every inch of Rogers's mouth. Steve felt as if he might explode, a sweltering heat spreading throughout his groin like a wild fire. His small hands were pressed hard against Buck's chest for support as he grinded into his loves enormous manhood.

"B-Bucky! Ughhh I c-cant…!" A booming growl ripped through James's chest as he began to feel his own beginnings of an orgasm. He reached up and cupped Steve's face tenderly, forcing the smaller man to look him in the eyes, adoration plastered all over his face.

"It's okay, baby. Do it." Steve leaned down and captured his lips one final time, crying out into his mouth as he was flung into a mind blowing orgasm. They came simultaneously, Steve's cum exploding against Bucky's chest as the latter's hot white seed was spilling hard and deep inside of Steve's body.

"Shit!" Steve groaned, earning a surprised chuckle from Bucky as Rogers collapsed onto his chest, exhausted. He kissed his forehead and wrapped his arms around him tentatively.

"Language." Steve laughed too, but didn't bother apologizing, his eyes beginning to flutter shut in content. They had been up an awfully long time since Barnes had his night terror, so he was happy that his boyfriend was finally going to get some sleep. Buck held him like that, the rest of the night; holding him in his arms protectively and rethinking his stance on whether or not he was happy he was alive. Maybe he was wrong…maybe surviving the war was going to end up the greatest thing that ever happened to him. All he knew was that his entire world was sleeping soundly in his arms, and that was all he needed to fall in to a terror free and dare I even say happy, sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Readjusting to domestic life was proving to be more difficult than James Barnes had previously imagined. Three weeks had passed and Steve was still their only source of income, struggling to pay their 60 dollar a month rent on his own earning minimum wage in a factory; and this was not the America Barnes had left to fight for. Woman were occupying most of their jobs, so now the in pour of war veterans was pushing thousands of widowed mothers out of their positions as well as migrant workers, the country's economic boom faltering significantly. There was a lot to celebrate with the winning of the war, but nothing about the change coming their way was going to be easy. Bucky knew he had to find a job somehow and he had to find one fast, Steve wasn't going to be able to support them forever, especially not as frail as he was. Luckily for them the government had passed the GI Bill, giving him one years' worth of unemployment compensation and 20 dollars a week for 52 weeks to get an education. Bucky planned on using this to help him get through the police academy and training, because not only was he good at taking orders and already trained as a soldier but no women were occupying those sort of jobs; he didn't have to feel like he was pushing somebody's mother out onto the streets.

On the morning that Buck had left to seek admission into the police academy, Steve awoke in bed alone to a note. He stretched his skinny arms and rubbed his eyes, rolling over to pick up the piece of paper on Buck's side of the bed with a sigh. It read:

 _Steve,_

 _I will be heading out to secure myself a place with the NYPD using some of our GI funds and I won't be home for a few hours. I'm gonna do right by you as soon as I'm able, you won't have to work so hard anymore. It's killing you. There is food in the fridge already made if you don't feel like cooking. See you when I get home._

 _-Bucky_

Steve crumbled the note up and tossed it into the waste basket, getting up and walking to the kitchen. He was curious to know what James's version of cooked food was considering he didn't know how and they had been running awfully low on groceries. It was hard to mess up breakfast in the 1940's, grocery stores and restaurants alike were being rationed to help the military, and there wasn't too much variety anymore. However, Bucky was Bucky…there was no telling what he'd made. A small smile stretched across Steve's lips as he peered inside the refrigerator. He loved his little idiot. Inside the fridge on a little white plate lay a muffin with an egg cooked over top of it, as if he had tried to make an egg and cheese biscuit but didn't know how.

"Oh Buck…" He whispered to himself, closing the door back and rummaging around in their cabinets. It appeared as if his boyfriend's little creation was just about the only thing in the entire apartment to eat, so he grabbed his coat and put on his suspenders, brushing his hair out quickly before heading out to the store. He only had to walk a few blocks, they lived right around the corner from a small market in Brooklyn titled Safeway, which had opened up not too long ago on 16th Street. He pulled the shopping list for the week from out his pocket and gave it a once over as he acquired a buggy and headed down the first aisle he came too. They needed orange juice, cereal, bread, eggs, noodles, milk, various canned items and some red meat. It would have been nice to buy chicken, but ever since the war had started chicken was near impossible to get due to government regulations that still had not been lifted.

Steve was walking through the produce aisle when it happened. He caught a whiff of some onions sitting out on display and while normally it wasn't a smell that bothered him there was something about it in that moment that made him gag violently. He cupped a small hand over his mouth and wheeled his buggy far enough away that he couldn't smell the vegetable anymore, though it did him little good. The gag had turned into a dry heave, which was an easy Segway to a coughing fit. Once he started he couldn't stop, fiddling around in his pants pockets for his inhaler. Unfortunately for Steve, he'd left the house in such a hurry that he hadn't thought to bring it with him. Bucky was going to kill him if the asthma didn't first. A cashier who happened to walk by at the time stopped and looked at him, furrowing his eyebrows in concern.

"You alright, sir?" Rogers had always been a fighter, he wasn't one to curl up and allow a disease to beat him down and he wasn't about to now.

"I-I'm fine." He choked out, though the constricting pain in his chest said otherwise. It was becoming harder and harder for Steve to breathe, and with his heart functioning the way it was it was only a matter of time before his angina flared up. If that happened he ran a risk of having a heart attack and he knew it, though he didn't wish to alarm the clerk. However, his asthma seemed to have other plans as his vision began to fade to grey and his legs go weak. He was about to pass out from lack of oxygen.

"Is there anyone I can call?" Gasping out the digits for the police department and the last name Barnes were the last things Steve remembered before he completely lost consciousness. Bucky arrived as quickly as he possibly could, scooping Steve into his arms and picking him up bridal style despite the uncomfortable stares from passersby as he rushed him down the street. Steve went in and out of consciousness for a little bit, feeling the warmth of Bucky wrapped protectively around him; it made him feel safe. Bucky practically kicked the door to their apartment down and laid Steve very delicately on the couch. Once he retrieved his inhaler, Bucky very gently pushed Steve's lips open and held the device there.

"C'mon Stevie, I need you to wake up and give me a nice deep breath okay?" Steve's baby blue eyes fluttered open, inhaling as deep as he could under the circumstances as Bucky ran his fingers through Steve's hair and kissed his forehead. Steve took a few more puffs of inhaler and his labored breath slowly returned to normal, Bucky's face visibly relaxing as he sighed in relief.

"I don't think I like onions anymore." Steve whimpered out with a weak smile and a laugh, though Bucky didn't reciprocate. An almost hurt expression was plastered all over his face, mostly because he had been so terrified that Steve wouldn't wake back up and here he was pretending like nothing important had happened.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to leave home without your medication? Steven you could have died!" Steve reached out to gently grab for Bucky's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Stop it, I'm fine." Bucky's blue eyes softened and he curled up beside his partner, sighing in resignation, though he was going to make him recount the experience so he could hopefully prevent it from ever happening again.

"What set you off? Did you over do it? You should have waited for me, you push yourself too hard." Steve shook his head.

"No, it wasn't that. Something inside of me just wasn't liking onions today…I caught the scent and I just couldn't shake it. I thought I was going to throw up and the next thing I knew I was having an asthma attack." Typical Steve…couldn't go anywhere without nearly killing himself, it was a wonder he had ever survived without Buck. Bucky leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to the smaller man's lips.

"I'm going with you next time, okay? In the meantime stop sniffing produce you weirdo." He teased, earning a roll of the eyes from Steve. Bucky wanted Steve to eat something, but damn it thanks to this little episode they still didn't have any food, and Bucky didn't want to leave Steve alone long enough to buy groceries. He got up, despite a whine of protest from Steve and walked to the fridge, a sheepish smile creeping onto his face as he brings his boyfriend the only thing left to eat. Steve couldn't help but laugh at the little plate with the egg muffin as Bucky knelt down before him and presented it as if it were his lifeline.

"You're cute." Steve laughed, though Bucky's face had a certain seriousness to it. He pulled off a piece of the muffin and gestured for Steve to open his mouth.

"C'mon, pal. You need to have something in your stomach. I'll give my good friend Gabe a call and see if he'll pick up some stuff at the store for us, alright? We served together in the 107th Infantry, he was part of my combat unit. In the mean time you're going to have to eat my sorry excuse for breakfast." Steve chuckled and shook his head as he chewed what Bucky had put in his mouth.

"It's actually not that bad." Bucky kissed him once more, his tongue gently flicking against Steve's lips in seek of entrance. Steve eagerly granted it, his fingers threading into Bucky's hair, which was getting a little long. He tugged on it, laughing gently to himself as he did so.

"I think I need to cut your hair." Buck smirked, pressing his lips softly to the crook of Steve's neck.

"Really? Because I think you kinda like it." Steve sat up so that Bucky could sit down with him and the soldier wrapped his arms around him. Bucky looked like he was lost in thought, a contemplative and almost solemn expression crossing his face suddenly. Steve nuzzled into his friends embrace and sighed, watching him for a few moments before speaking.

"What's wrong?" Barnes almost didn't want to answer because he wasn't sure how Steve would react, but this little episode today had only solidified what he had been worrying about this morning. Steve worked too hard, pushed himself too hard. It wasn't good for a man in his condition. His arms tightened around Rogers, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he replied.

"Once I start on the police force I think you should quit your job at the factory." Steve should have seen this coming, but honestly he thought he'd been doing a fine job providing while Bucky was away and he'd only had a couple of issues with his laundry list of health problems.

"I'm not a child, Bucky. I can work. I've been fine all this time on my own." James shook his head at him and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah, but you aren't on your own anymore you have me. If you don't mind, I'd like to keep you around a good long time, Stevie…seems like you get sicker every time I turn around." Steve was quiet for a moment too long and James knew immediately that he'd lost.

"You aren't even gonna consider it are you?"

"Nope." Bucky didn't have it in him to be angry. He'd known Steve almost all his life, he knew he wasn't the type to just roll over when things got rough. His Stevie was a fighter. Always had been always would be. He would have made a wonderful soldier if that dream had become a reality.

"Just promise me that if anything serious happens you'll know when to quit, okay? I don't want you killing yourself because you think you owe it to me to keep up your end of the rent. I love you, Steve. I'm more than happy to take care of you." Steve shot Bucky a sweet smile and kissed the side of his face.

"Love you too Buck." They were both quiet for several moments, cuddling on the couch with one another as the morning settled in around them and the time grew towards noon. They could have stayed like that forever, just the two of them. However, in the silence a single sound rang out loud and clear; the sound of Steve's tummy growling could probably be heard by neighbors as far as a mile out. Bucky laughed.

"You gonna call that friend?"

"Yeah you aren't eating that muffin are you?"

"No offense Buck…but there's no way in hell."


End file.
